Bested

    The best should teach. No one could argue that sentiment, just as no one would likely argue with the selection of Fort Lupton High School’s Jennifer Santos as a gold medalist during the University of Colorado Boulder’s The Best Should Teach award ceremony, held in the University’s Glenn Miller Ballroom Aug. 18.

Photo by Gene Sears

FLHS science teacher Jenn Santos took home the gold in C.U. Boulder’s The Best Should Teach Awards, garnering accolades from students and peers, and recognition from Weld Re-8 Superintendent Mark Payler.

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    Santos, who teaches science and Freshman Academy at Fort Lupton High School, garnered her award for her “open door approach and her commitment to ensure that all her students learn in her classroom, while also being challenged. Ms. Santos’ humor, caring personality and strong expectations add rigor to her science and extended learning opportunity classes.”
    Weld Re-8 Superintendent of Schools Mark Payler echoed the sentiments, sending an all-hands email announcing Santos’ award and forwarding the news for some well-deserved recognition.
    Nominated for the award by the university’s PIE BUENO (Masters of Arts program) Instructional Coach Linda Neal, with FLHS colleague Sasha Chesler writing the recommendation, the award took Santos entirely by surprise.
    “When I received the envelope in the mail, I thought it was another bill from C.U.,” Santos laughed. “Because we (PIE BUENO participants) owe books and fees with our scholarships. So I left it on the counter for a few days, then I opened it and found that I had won the gold level award.”
    Earning her Master’s in Equity in Education for the Culturally Diverse, Santos is poised to deliver a balanced education that takes into account the cultures of the kids in the district.
    “My personal opinion is that all teacher programs should have the elements that the EECD program has, because the training I have received in that program has benefited me more than I think even my undergrad,” Santos said. “Undergrad teachers you how to be a teacher, and this program teaches you how to teach different students, because you don’t have a homogenous group. Every classroom you walk into, you have different cultures, different races, different beliefs, different learning styles, just different.”
    The concepts put forth in the program are pertinent in the Weld Re-8 district, according to Santos, who applies the principles daily.
    “I’ve used so many things I have learned in that program in my classroom already,” Santos said. “As I am learning it, I am using it, so it is very in-the-moment stuff.”
    The Best Should Teach Initiative is managed by the university’s Graduate Teacher Program in conjunction with the School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the Alumni Association at Fort Lewis College. The initiative strives to recruit, support and reward excellence in teaching.
    Each year, an outstanding undergraduate from the School of Education is awarded the Excellent Teacher award. Five gold awards were given out to outstanding teachers in partnering Colorado public school systems. The C.U. Graduate School last year gave out ten gold awards to participants in the Graduate Teacher Program who had been judged outstanding.

Contact Gene Sears at 303-659-2522, ext. 217 or gsears@metrowestnewspapers.com.